The present invention relates to fire-rated file cabinets; and more particularly, to a split-bodied insulated cavity for providing local fire-rated space within an otherwise non-fire-rated file cabinet.
Fire-rated file cabinets are well known. Existing fire-rated file cabinets typically comprise a double-walled blow-molded outer housing that defines one or more openings for a file cabinet drawer to be slidably disposed therein. The outer housing globally surrounds the entire file storage space within the cabinet, and therefore requires that a large amount of fire-resistant insulation positioned within an insulation space formed between the blow-molded walls. In addition, the front of the file cabinet drawers may also be blow-molded to include a double-wall defining an insulation space that is filled with fire-resistant insulation to provide fire resistance to the front of the file cabinet drawer when the drawer is in a closed position. While existing fire-rated cabinets are effective at protecting the documents contained therein from fire for a certain period of time, they suffer from a number of drawbacks and deficiencies.
Some of the drawbacks of existing fire-rated file cabinets is that they are expensive to manufacture, heavy, and difficult to move. These drawbacks stem from the fact that a substantial amount of fire-resistant insulation is used to fill the insulation space of the outer housing, which extends around all of the file cabinet drawers. In use, this globally-protected volume may be substantially larger than the local volume or volumes required to protect the actual items to be stored in the file cabinet. In some instances, only a single file drawer of an entire file cabinet may require fire protection.
As such, there is a need for a fire-rated file cabinet that is less expensive to manufacture. There is also a need for a fire-rated file cabinet that uses less fire-resistant insulation. There is a further need for a fire-rated file cabinet that provides a local fire-rated space within an otherwise non-fire-rated file cabinet. The present invention addresses these needs as well as other needs.